Liu Zhenhua
Nutrition and Cancer Prevention Laboratory, School of Public Health & Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA.
UMass Cancer Center, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA.
Curr Oncol. 2025 Jun 26;32(7):375. doi: 10.3390/curroncol32070375.
The 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) products containing less than 0.3% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in the United States. This legislative shift catalyzed both public and scientific interest in CBD's potential health benefits. However, the rapid expansion of the CBD market has considerably outpaced rigorous scientific research, leaving many health claims largely unsubstantiated. While preclinical studies suggest that CBD may exert antitumorigenic effects in colorectal cancer (CRC) by modulating cell proliferation, apoptosis, and inflammation, clinical evidence supporting these effects remains limited. This review critically examines the current evidence on the role of CBD in colorectal tumorigenesis, with particular attention to its molecular mechanisms and interactions with the serotonergic system-a signaling pathway implicated in the development of CRC and possessing potential dual anti- and pro-tumorigenic properties. By influencing the serotonergic system, CBD may confer both protective and potentially deleterious effects during CRC development. This review underscores the need for further research to elucidate the complex mechanisms of CBD in colorectal tumorigenesis and to evaluate its therapeutic potential in clinical settings. Understanding these interactions could pave the way for novel prevention and treatment strategies, optimizing the anticancer efficacy of CBD while mitigating unintended risks.
2018年的《农业法案》使美国境内含有低于0.3%四氢大麻酚（THC）的大麻衍生大麻二酚（CBD）产品合法化。这一立法转变激发了公众和科学界对CBD潜在健康益处的兴趣。然而，CBD市场的迅速扩张大大超过了严谨的科学研究，使得许多关于健康功效的说法大多未经证实。虽然临床前研究表明，CBD可能通过调节细胞增殖、凋亡和炎症对结直肠癌（CRC）发挥抗肿瘤作用，但支持这些作用的临床证据仍然有限。本综述批判性地审视了目前关于CBD在结直肠癌发生中作用的证据，特别关注其分子机制以及与血清素能系统的相互作用——这是一种与结直肠癌发生有关且具有潜在双重抗肿瘤和促肿瘤特性的信号通路。通过影响血清素能系统，CBD在结直肠癌发展过程中可能既具有保护作用，也可能产生有害影响。本综述强调需要进一步研究，以阐明CBD在结直肠癌发生中的复杂机制，并评估其在临床环境中的治疗潜力。了解这些相互作用可为新的预防和治疗策略铺平道路，在优化CBD抗癌功效的同时降低意外风险。
